Peveril of the Peak, Great Bridgewater Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.
Lovely old photogenic pub bedecked in the green Wilsons livery tile that was prevalent in its day, and usually the purveyor of fine beers and ales. The Pev is mentioned in Ancoats Lad, where Mick Burke describes how the theatricals from the nearby Hippodrome (then later the Gaumont) Theatre would slip out of the stage still in their powder and paint right into the Pev for a quick drink [1].
Lovely old photogenic pub bedecked in the green Wilsons livery tile that was prevalent in its day, and usually the purveyor of fine beers and ales. The Pev is mentioned in Ancoats Lad, where Mick Burke describes how the theatricals from the nearby Hippodrome (then later the Gaumont) Theatre would slip out of the stage still in their powder and paint right into the Pev for a quick drink [1].
Sadly on our last visit, despite standing at a virtually empty bar for nigh on five minutes, the bar staff couldn't care or couldn't be arsed to serve us so we left without sampling. It will be revisited later in the year when we will give them another chance to rectify this unfortunate problem and will update here accordingly. Archive photos from 1964, 1970, 1972 and 1994.
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Update: a second attempt to have a pint in the Pev was met with a sadly locked front door. Worrying that this flagship Manchester boozer was not open on a Saturday afternoon! The upside of it being shut was that we had an excuse to nip in Rain Bar again for a pint of Coronation Street and Brewers Mild.
Third update: a 2010 latch lifter was finally obtained in this fine old boozer. We plumped for the ubiquitous Deuchars from a small selection of ales. The barman confirmed that the Pev pretty much keeps its own opening hours these days, depending on when they fancy it. If they're in a position to be so blasé then who are we to quarrel with that; it's just that others may be put off heading down this way from Oxford Street if they don't know it'll be open. Suppose Rain is a very good fall-back if not.
1. Ancoats Lad, Mick Burke / Frank Heaton (1996).
